As the Street Lamps Came On
by S. T. Nickolian
Summary: Sakura has to go to Suna to help get it back on its feet, but Sasuke has just admitted his feelings for her, but will Sakura be able to wait for years to come back to him? SakuxSasu


As the Street Lamps Came On

Disclaimer: Let me spell this out for those of you who might not understand… I… Do NOT… own… Naruto! Happy now?

"So you don't forget." A ring was slipped on Sakura's finger. A single rose quartz stone was set in the middle of a band of yellow gold with two smaller garnets on either side, everything gleamed in the evening light. "Your hair, my hair and his eyes." Naruto jerked a thumb at a quieter Sasuke beside him, smiling a little. "We'll be waiting for you when you come back."

Sakura focused on the ring, afraid that if she looked at either of her teammates, she would break down. "Arigatou, both of you." Naruto was no doubt close to tears but still smiling, and Sasuke was probably indifferent. "I'll be back, eventually." She was going on a mission that could take from one to five years, all to help get Suna back on its feet.

"I'm going to miss you, Sakura-chan!" Naruto unexpectedly hugged her before quickly backing off, tears in his eyes. Sakura smiled weakly at him and nodded to Sasuke before watching Hinata say goodbye to her team and her cousin. Neji appeared to be emotionless, but after nearly two years of trying to read Sasuke, she could see the worry and sadness in his eyes. Kiba was visible upset like Naruto, and Shino… well, if you looked the right way, you would be able see his eyes, swirling with worry, but also confidence, he knew that she'd be alright.

Naruto started over to say goodbye to the Hyuuga as well, leaving Sakura with Sasuke. Kakashi had said goodbye the night before when he had visited, since he was leaving for a mission earlier than she was.

"Sakura." She jumped slightly then turned to face the Uchiha, who was staring out into space, refusing to meet her gaze. "Come back safe; I don't want to have to pound anyone the way I did to those Sound nin during the Chuunin exams." His cold voice was soft, as if he was afraid someone would hear him. "And don't take too long; as much as we hate to admit it, neither Naruto nor I can fight to our best when you aren't around."

Sakura smiled gently, knowing that he was worried, just too proud to admit it. Gathering all of her courage, the kunoichi walked up to the stoic boy and wrapped her arms around him loosely. She felt him stiffen, but he didn't push her away. A muffled "I'll miss you too," was spoken into his shirt before she tried to pull back, only to find his arms snaking around her waist, holding her to him.

She began to cry and clung to him tighter. Naruto glanced back at them and smiled. He may have loved Sakura as kids, but he would still do anything to make her happy, and she was happiest with his best friend and rival, so he would let them be, though if Sasuke hurt her, he would personally kill him. _I'm glad he's starting to notice you, Sakura-chan, it's just too bad that you have to leave._

Reluctantly, Sakura pulled away from her childhood crush to look into his Sharingan. He had all three comas in the two seas of garnet. "I'll be back, and if anyone hurts me, you'll be the first to know." She smiled up at him, and, amazingly, the Uchiha prodigy smiled back. It was small, but was still a smile. Smirking slightly, she cocked her head to the side childishly. "You know, I'll be expecting more of those when I get back."

"Hn. You talk too much." Usually, this would hurt the pink-haired kunoichi, but the warmth in his voice and eyes told her that he was merely joking; he didn't really mean it this time!

Sakura laughed and turned to Gaara, who was their guide to Suna. "Haruno; we need to leave." Though he was speaking to her, his gaze never left Sasuke's. Sasuke matched his glare and narrowed his eyes while pulling Sakura closer to him. They seemed to be having a conversation that only they could hear. Sasuke was warning Gaara to not touch or let anything happen to her, and the Kazekage seemed to be saying, "Or else what?"

Sakura picked up her bag and smiled at Sasuke. He broke his staring contest with Gaara and smiled faintly at her. Gaara took her arm and began to lead her away. Sasuke watched her go, all traces of his earlier smiles gone. Gaara released her when he came to Hinata, but the Uchiha still watched, even as Naruto came up to him. "Don't worry about her, she has the ring and she knows that we'll be waiting." The Kyuubi avatar clapped his hand on his best friend's shoulder and began to walk to the ramen stand.

Sasuke turned to watch the blond leave and cast a last glance at the gate where the only one ever to gain his affections had disappeared before following his teammate. _Hurry up and come back, Sakura_.

As Sasuke walked away, he was joined by the Byakugan-user that he had come to relate with. "She'll be back; she hasn't been obsessed with you for years to turn her back on you now." Sasuke nodded but said nothing as they were joined by Hinata's team and a waiting Naruto.

_Funny,_ the Uchiha thought with a smirk, _I never thought that I would have this many 'friends,' not after I was so determined to kill Itachi._

"Lighten up, Sasuke-teme! It's not like we're never going to see them again." Loud-mouth as always, but the two prodigies could tell that he was merely trying to help lighten the mood, so they played along, even if it was going to humiliate the avatar a little.

"You are in no place to tell me what to do, dope; you broke down and scared her. You'll be lucky if she is brave enough to face you when she gets back. He smirked as their bickering had the desired effect; though Naruto was now rambling defensively, Kiba was laughing at the avatar's bad arguing skills, and, though you couldn't see it, they could sense that Shino was smirking.

Maybe they would be able to live without the two girls for a short while after all. Willing to wait forever for the girls to come back, the group walked down the street, as the street lamps came on.

* * *

"You're sure?" It was the second time he had asked, and that's what surprised her. Sakura turned from her packing to the Kazekage and smiled.

"Hai; it's been too long since I've been home, and besides," she turned away with a faraway look in her eyes and a smile on her face, "my team's waiting for me."

Gaara looked the medic nin over, trying to memorize her now. Then, he turned away and glared at the wall. "If either of them hurt you in anyway, tell me and I'll make them pay." He hated to admit it, but the medic kunoichi had grown on him over the past couple years. The Uchiha had made if clear that she was his, but the Kazekage had ignored him and grown closer to the girl, and now she was like his sister, (though not as temperamental as Temari,) though he wouldn't mind going further her. _Now I know how Naruto feels._

"Don't worry, if they _do_ hurt me, there won't be much left for you to make pay." The Shukaku vessel blinked and looked over at her. She caught his questioning look and laughed. "After Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei and all my other friends who are closer get through with them, not even I'll get a shot at them."

Gaara blinked again and smiled a little. He only smiled around her and Temari, no one else, especially not Kankuro. Sakura smiled back and him and the not full pack on her shoulder. "Besides, you're escorting us back."

* * *

Sasuke bopped Naruto on the head lightly. "Would you shut up, dope? We have to report to Godaime-sama." Naruto muttered something foul about 'old grandmas,' and 'sadistic teammates' at his friend, but smiled back at him, who had his traditional smirk on his face. "Besides, maybe she'll know when the girls are coming back."

Over the four years, neither of them had failed to check with Tsunade to see if Sakura was back yet, and neither was less optimistic than when their companion had first left. Naruto punched his fist in the air. "Alright! Let's go! Race you there!" With that, the blond teenager ran off with a smirking Uchiha close behind him.

People waved at them as they passed, now used to seeing the two jounins racing across town. It was common knowledge that after their female teammate left for Suna the two had grown to be closer friends, now they would publicly hangout with the rest of the original rookie nine.

Naruto landed in front of the Hokage Tower and began celebrating his victory by dancing around. "What took you so long, dope?" Naruto stopped dead and looked up at the doorway. Sasuke was leaning against the door, still smirking. "Short cut" was his only answer to the silent question from his gaping teammate.

Naruto huffed and followed Sasuke into the tower. Arguing all the way to Tsunade's office, the two failed to notice the three other chakre sources in the room, at least, not until they opened the door.

"Ah, good, both of you are here." The said boys looked up and saw Tsunade gesturing to a few other people, smiling widely. "I believe you know our guests."

Sasuke turned his head to see a head of pink hair turning to reveal smiling jade green eyes. "Sakura…"

Said girl ran across the room to throw her arms around the two boy's necks. Naruto got over his shock and a huge grin broke across his face as he 'discreetly' tripped Sakura so she would fall into their teammate's arms.

It worked.

Naruto laughed as he walked over to welcome Hinata back, who was smiling at the blushing couple on the floor. Gaara had a little jealousy in his eyes, but he was smiling so faintly that only Sakura, who had come to be able to read him so well, would be able to see it.

Sakura was blushing madly and made a mental note to kill Naruto later. Both she and Sasuke had fallen to the floor when Naruto tripped her, placing her on top of him with her hands on either side of his head. She quickly tried to stand and apologize… only to be held down by Sasuke's arms firmly around her waist. She looked at him questioningly, but he just smirked, causing her to blush more.

"It's been four years; you owe me this at least." Sakura blushed hard and buried her head in his shirt to hide it. "Do you still have the ring?" She nodded and lifted her hand with the ring onto his chest. "Good. Now, as much as I love laying her with you, we're still in Tsunade's office, not to mention that Gaara could probably kill me with that glare."

Sakura laughed and stood up, successfully this time, then helped him off the floor. When she tried to pull her hand away, he merely pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind her. Sakura blushed and could hear her inner self rejoicing at the contact.

* * *

"Bye Sasuke-teme! Bye Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved from his place down the street before turning to walk away with Kakashi and Jiraiya, or Ero-sensei and Ero-Sannin as Naruto like to call them.

Sakura waved and turned to keep walking with Sasuke, he had silently offered to walk her home, and she had accepted in the same fashion. They had met up with Kakashi and the Frog Sannin shortly after they left the Hokage Tower and had wandered around Konoha, meeting up with old friends and filling Sakura in on what had happen while she was gone. A short while before Naruto, Kakashi and Jiraiya split with them, Gaara had left for Suna again, promising to come and visit, a strange thing for Gaara actually. Now, at sundown, Sakura was walking with the boy she had loved since she was little.

"Sakura, you do realize that Ino is going to be jealous once she sees us together, right?" The Uchiha smirked down at her, knowing she would blush.

And blush she did, "I don't care." She put on a defiant and determined face as she held her head high. "She'll just have to get over it." Sasuke chuckled and placed a hand around her waist, feeling complete for the first time since before he left to train under Orochimaru (he did regret doing that).

Chuckling he pulled Sakura closer to him. "You have no idea what you have gotten into." She looked up questioningly at him, cause him to chuckle again. "I'm not telling you, not this time."

Sakura stared up at him for a minute then smiled as if her greatest dream had come true, but then again it probably had.

"I'm glad, because I wouldn't have let you anyway."

The laughter of the last Uchiha and the kunoichi of his affections rang through the streets as the street lamps came on.


End file.
